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Review
. 2021 Jan 31:2021:5382684.
doi: 10.1155/2021/5382684. eCollection 2021.

Kochiae Fructus, the Fruit of Common Potherb Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad: A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Quality Control, and Pharmacokinetics

Wei Zou  1 , Zhong Tang  2 , Yao Long  1 , Zuoqi Xiao  1 , Bo Ouyang  1 , Menghua Liu  3
Affiliations
Review

Kochiae Fructus, the Fruit of Common Potherb Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad: A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Quality Control, and Pharmacokinetics

Wei Zou et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. .

Abstract

Kochiae Fructus (KF) is the fruit of an annual potherb Kochia scoparia (Linn.) Schrad and has been traditionally used for the treatment of diseases in the skin, eyes, and urinary tract for thousands of years in China. Recent studies have showed its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiallergic, and antipruritogenic effects to clarify the mechanisms of these actions. Meanwhile, its other effects, such as anticancer, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective effects, also have been reported. The achievement of these therapeutic effects is contributed by its chemical constituents. A total of 153 compounds have been identified in KF, mainly including triterpenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, and essential oils. Momordin Ic is the representative triterpene glycoside compound, which is used as a phytochemical marker for the quality control of Kochiae Fructus. The research on toxicity is insufficient, and only one article reported that the LD50 was 7.15 ± 0.03 g/kg for water extract of KF after oral administration in KM mice. In addition, the pharmacokinetic study was carried out on momordin Ic with linear pharmacokinetic characteristics. Above all, this review provides comprehensive information about Kochiae Fructus and may provide the theoretic foundation of its clinical application and further development.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) The potherb of Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad (http://www.cvh.ac.cn/spms/detail.php?id=f27a89aa) and (b) its fruit Kochiae Fructus.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chemical structures of substances within Kochiae Fructus.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The signal pathways of antiliver cancer effect of momordin Ic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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